"For people over fifty, it is enough to practice some of the easier and more useful asanas, as well as some of the pranayamas." Pattabhi Jois -Yoga Mala
But why wait till fifty?
UPDATE
Actual speed is approx 40 minutes, I spent less time in some of the asana as well as in the static versions of shoulder stand and headstand than usual, as a rule the whole practice takes about an hour.
Actual speed version to come.
Actual speed, bit wobbly in places still
some blog posts
On Simon's spinal sequence and diaphragmatic breathing
On Simon's 84 key asana course
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2017/04/what-is-it-about-mudra-also-simon-borg.html
In the photos of the practice below I've shown the basic standing spinal movements then the different foot positions those spinal movements are repeated in. I've only shown the one side.
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The post below was originally from August 2017, reposting it for the sun salutation update
My Current practice
A shift (or evolution) from Proficient Primary (see page above) to a more 'Spinal/active movements' approach, inspired by Simon Borg-Olivier
But why wait till fifty?
UPDATE
My current practice, still very much work in progress (when isn't it?).
Standing strongly influenced by Simon Borg-Olivier and Bianca Machliss's Yoga Synergy Spinal Sequence,
Seated influenced by Ramaswami's Vinyasa Krama,
Inversions influenced by Krishnamacharya's early shoulderstand and headstand vinyasa...., plus ten years of Ashtanga.
Standing strongly influenced by Simon Borg-Olivier and Bianca Machliss's Yoga Synergy Spinal Sequence,
Seated influenced by Ramaswami's Vinyasa Krama,
Inversions influenced by Krishnamacharya's early shoulderstand and headstand vinyasa...., plus ten years of Ashtanga.
Actual speed is approx 40 minutes, I spent less time in some of the asana as well as in the static versions of shoulder stand and headstand than usual, as a rule the whole practice takes about an hour.
Actual speed version to come.
Actual speed, bit wobbly in places still
It took me a long time to come around to these movements in standing, for the longest time all I saw was arm waving. THIS series of videos from Simon Borg-Olivier, where he explains what is happening anatomically, physiologically in all the movements as well as the surya namaskara and several asana went someway to bringing me around but even then what I was looking for was a similar explanation for the asana I was already practicing in Ashtanga or in Vinyasa Krama (which Simon has done in his 84 key asana course). In the end it takes a leap of faith, just practicing these movements for a week or two, incorporating them into your regular practice.
some blog posts
On Simon's spinal sequence and diaphragmatic breathing
On YogaSynergy fundamentals course
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/07/just-enrolled-on-simon-borg-olivier-and.htmlOn Simon's 84 key asana course
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2017/04/what-is-it-about-mudra-also-simon-borg.html
In the photos of the practice below I've shown the basic standing spinal movements then the different foot positions those spinal movements are repeated in. I've only shown the one side.
***
The post below was originally from August 2017, reposting it for the sun salutation update
My Current practice
A shift (or evolution) from Proficient Primary (see page above) to a more 'Spinal/active movements' approach, inspired by Simon Borg-Olivier
I seem to be dropping most of Ashtanga Primary Standing and Seated postures altogether and moving straight from an opening Spinal sequence to inversions. The few classic seated postures with pranayama exercises I do include, I enter and exit, hands free, from Sirsasana.
Spinal movements
Surya namaskara
(Can't quite bring myself to drop these altogether)
Update:
Simon Borg-Olivier's Simplified/subtle (Method 3) sun salutation x 5, followed by Method 1 Supine sun salutation x3 - see video below
Dandasana
Paschimattanasana /Purvatanasana
bharadvajrasana
Maha Mudra/Janu Shirshasana D
(optional marichiyasana)
(Can't quite bring myself to drop these altogether)
Update:
Simon Borg-Olivier's Simplified/subtle (Method 3) sun salutation x 5, followed by Method 1 Supine sun salutation x3 - see video below
Dandasana
Paschimattanasana /Purvatanasana
bharadvajrasana
Maha Mudra/Janu Shirshasana D
(optional marichiyasana)
Sarvangasana prep
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Sarvangasana - static 5 mins,
Sarvangasana vinyasas
Sirsasana - static 5-10 mins
Sirsasana entry to seated asana inc. pranayama exercises.
- gomukhasana - 30 inhalation
- baddha konasana - 30 second kumbhaka after exhalation
- Baddha padmasana
- Padmasana Nadi shodhana - 20 second kumbhaka after inhalation
Sit - Siddhasana
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I've been asked where one can find more on this approach.
See this post for an intro into Simon's approach, with videos, links etc
Simon Borg-Olivier made me fall in love with my SPINE all over again
For those not sure about the arm waving, and it took me a while to come around, I recommend Simon's 84 key asana course, see this post where I include a concordance with Ashtanga.
I hear Simon has an online Ashtanga course in the editing stage, should be excellent.
I'm just about to start Simon's 13 week online Yoga Therapy course, more on that to come.
*
The videos below give an idea of my current approach to practice.
Spinal movements in different foot positions including a slower version......,
The first five minutes of the video below shows Simon demonstrating some of the spinal movements.
Below- lengthening the inhalation and exhalation, so, one inhalation for both sides of the first exercise/vinyasa, one exhalation for both sides of the second twisting 'exercise/vinyasa
I might include one or more active movement variations of standing asana
After the spinal movements I might do a couple of sury's
Update:
Simon Borg-Olivier's Simplified/subtle (Method 3) sun salutation x 5, followed by Method 1 Supine sun salutation x3 - see video below
I've started skipping standing and most seated postures altogether and am going straight into some shoulderstand preparation postures, these too perhaps from Simon which strike me as important, a revelation in fact. I'm exploring introducing the principles Simon outlined below into my inversion vinyasas - posts to come on this. See Appendix for more from Simon.
Followed by some shoulderstand prep from Vinyasa Krama that Krishnamacharya/Ramaswami recommended.
After a five minute static shoulderstand, lengthening the inhalation and exhalation to twenty seconds for each, I'm tending to include the vinyasas below from Krishnamachary's old 1938 Mysore film footage, as well as perhaps a few other of his vinyasas that may come to mind.
I finish shoulderstands with the standard vinyasas from Ashtanga Finishing, leading into padma mayurasana, followed by...
Urdhva danhurasana
Sirsasana, a five minute static headstand, lengthening the inhalation and exhalation to twenty seconds for each.... followed by the asana below entered from sirsasana and including different pranayama exercises.
The videos below don't include the pranayama.
Gomukhasana - 3 breaths each side - lengthening the inhalation to thirty seconds
Bharadvajrasana - Lengthening the exhalation to thirty seconds
Baddha Konasana A - Kumbhaka: Holding the breath out for thirty seconds
Padmasana: Nadi shodhana 12 rounds - 1:4:2:1 A twenty second Kumbhaka after the inhalation
Back up to sirsasana to stretch out the legs before lowering and entering siddhasana hands free for a twenty or forty minute Sit.
Appendix
